General Manager of Recreation and Culture

General Manager of Recreation and Culture

The City of Cranbrook is seeking an experienced and collaborative leader to join our team as General Manager of Recreation & Culture.

In this key leadership role, you will provide strategic direction and operational oversight for the City’s recreation facilities, arena services, facility bookings, and community events. You will lead facility operations staff, support strong relationships with user groups and tenants, and ensure safe, efficient, and customer-focused service delivery.

The successful candidate will bring strong leadership, operational expertise, and a commitment to service excellence. 

If you are passionate about enhancing recreation opportunities and strengthening community connections, we invite you to help shape the future of Recreation & Culture in Cranbrook.

Job Details
JOB LOCATION: On-site, Cranbrook, BC 
POSTING TYPE:   Exempt
POSITION TYPE:   Full-Time
HOURS OF WORK: A compressed schedule of 70 hours over two weeks, with one scheduled day off every pay period. (Average 7.75 hours per day)

THE CITY OF CRANBROOK
The City of Cranbrook is in the southeast corner of British Columbia amongst the majestic Rockies and Purcell mountains, near Alberta and the Canada/USA border. With a population of approximately 20,000, Cranbrook is the largest community in the East Kootenay. Known as the “Basecamp of the Kootenays”, Cranbrook provides an inviting lifestyle in a beautiful setting that has made our city a welcoming and growing place in which to live, work and play.
The City offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including  performance-based salary progression, extended health, dental and vision care, short and long-term disability, Employer matching pension plan, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, life insurance and a $500/yr. health and wellness benefit. 

ANNUAL SALARY       $117,321.63 to $142,962.58 Exempt Salary Grid Band D4

POSITION OVERVIEW
Reporting to the Director of Recreation & Culture, the General Manager of Recreation & Culture provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for City of Cranbrook recreation facilities and facility bookings, including supervision of facility operations staff, bookings, and event coordination. The position is responsible for facility operations, arena services, facility bookings, user group relationships, and operational coordination with municipal departments to ensure safe, efficient, and customer-focused service delivery.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide supervision, leadership, direction, coaching, and performance management to the Recreation & Culture facilities staff.
• Develop departmental goals, work plans, and performance measures aligned with City strategic objective.
• Promote a positive, collaborative, and service-oriented workplace culture.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, succession planning, and staff development.
• Ensure compliance with provincial legislation, health regulations, safety standards, TSBC requirements, and industry best practices.
• In collaboration with the Manager of Aquatic & Programming and the Public Works Department, coordinate annual shutdowns, maintenance planning, and capital improvement projects for aquatic facilities.
• Manages tenant and user group relationships within City-owned facilities, serving as the primary point of contact and ensuring effective communication, coordination, and high levels of service.
• Ensure exceptional customer experiences through responsive service delivery and evaluation of service levels to implement operational improvements.
• Provide overall leadership and operational oversight of recreation facilities, including arenas and multi-use spaces.
• Collaborate with Public Works on lifecycle planning, capital maintenance, and infrastructure improvements.
• Collaborate with the Public Works Department to coordinate programming, maintenance considerations, and use of outdoor recreation spaces, parks, and related amenities.
• Oversee the planning, scheduling, and coordination of facility bookings, including recreational use, community programming, and third-party rentals to balance community access with revenue generation objectives.
• Ensure effective processes for event coordination, including large-scale rentals, tournaments, and community events. Coordinate with other municipal departments (e.g., Public Works, Bylaw, Fire, or Corporate Services) to support event planning and delivery, including logistics, safety, permitting, and operational requirements.
• Work closely with the Aquatics and Programming Manager to ensure alignment between facility availability and program delivery, and to support both City and community-led recreation, arts and cultural events and initiatives.
• Implement and maintain user-friendly booking systems and customer service standards.
• Address complex customer concerns and resolve service issues professionally.
• Monitor revenues and expenditures while ensuring fiscal responsibility.
• Prepare financial reports, forecasts, and budget recommendations.
• Lead incident investigations, complete and submit required documentation, and implement and recommend corrective actions. Develop and recommend policies, procedures, and operational standards.
• Participate in departmental strategic planning and master planning initiatives.
• Recommend service improvements based on community needs and operational analysis.
• Foster positive relationships with user groups, tenants, community organizations, elected officials, and external agencies.
• Represent the department at meetings, committees, and public engagement initiatives.
• Partner with all other City departments to coordinate operational needs, share information, support interdepartmental projects, and ensure Recreation & Culture initiatives integrate smoothly with broader municipal objectives.

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION

• Four (4) year Degree in a relevant field such as Recreation Management, Kinesiology, Leisure Studies, Public Administration, Business Administration, etc.

LICENSES / CERTIFICATES

• Valid Class five (5) Driver’s Licence.
• A Refrigeration Safety Awareness course, or willingness to obtain.
• Relevant certifications such as an Ice Facility Operator Certification, Refrigeration Operator Certification, Lifesaving Society certifications or equivalent, are considered an asset.

EXPERIENCE

• Three (3) years of experience in a similar role, including managing in a unionized environment; OR
• A relevant combination of education, training/certification, knowledge, skills and experience will be considered.

SPECIFIC SKILLS

• Knowledge of recreation facility operations, facility bookings, and event coordination.
• Experience managing multi-use recreation facilities and overseeing public-facing services.
• Sound understanding and application of relevant Health, Safety, Emergency and Operational regulations (including WorkSafe, Lifesaving Society, etc.).
• Demonstrated management and performance management skills, including the ability to effectively lead, develop, direct, motivate and support a team in developing and achieving goals.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate, direct, evaluate and oversee department staff and operations.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills (including proven negotiation and conflict resolution skills) with the ability to develop and maintain respectful and professional working relationships at all levels of an organization.
• Strong verbal and communication skills with various levels of staff, Council, and the public.
• Ability to operate in an environment involving the competing interests and priorities of many stakeholders including: elected officials, volunteer boards, and committees.
• Technical aptitude including advanced skills in Microsoft Office, presentation tools, facility/registration/event management programs and financial management software.
• Data-driven mindset, with the ability to use analytics to drive decision-making.
• Independent and self-motivated while possessing the desire and ability to work in a collaborative work environment.
• Critical and strategic thinking skills - the ability to assess situations objectively, apply good reasoning, develop strategies, and make decisions independently.
• Adaptable and flexible - the ability to cope with ambiguity in an emerging and constantly changing environment, and to respond to frequently changing demands and priorities.
• Strong time management skills.
• Ability to function well under pressure.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to travel within the City of Cranbrook.
• A satisfactory Police Information Check is required

CLOSING DATE:  Open until filled

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